


The Day That Wasn't

by BattyJamie



Series: The Day That Wasn't [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 23:57:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21006302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BattyJamie/pseuds/BattyJamie
Summary: Number Five returns three days before the apocalypse. However, he's left with less time than he predicted, having come back during the evening rather than earlier that same day. Can this one miscalculation change the outcome of the world?





	The Day That Wasn't

**Author's Note:**

> Many one-shots and other fanfics from myself and friends will link to this piece to coincide into this alternate universe. If you came from one of these sources, we hope you enjoyed what you read and also take a look at the original kick starter story below!
> 
> Notice!: Many ships are to come to light after this first chapter!

The day that wasn’t had become reality. With destroying the commission and warping back in time with a briefcase, Number Five had returned to the academy three days before the apocalypse. He had appeared in the den, on top of the bar. It was evening, most of the lights dimmed with no one to be found.

After catching his breath from the rough impact, Five took a lap around the manor. Seemingly to have no luck to find anyone in the house, not even Grace or Pogo... Five’s anxiety began to spike – he had less time than he planned. Zapping to 8PM instead of twelve hours earlier left hours from the day wasted.

The last resort was the attic, and who other than Klaus to be tied to a toppled over chair. “Klaus, finally. Come on, we’re gonna stop the apocalypse,“ the time hopper paused. Klaus seemed to be dazed, talking sweet nothings to the vacant space around him - not noticing the teen enter the room nor call out his name. Only when Five approached directly in front of him when Klaus peered up with relieved puppy dog eyes and a genuine smile.

“Five!” the clairvoyant giggled, “I want you to meet someone.” Five kneeled down, releasing Klaus from the confines.

“We don’t have time for that. We need to find the others.”

Five untangled Klaus, gaining clarity on the soothsayers renowned powers due to sobriety - about their deceased brother Ben and Klaus’s former lover Dave, “Oh Five, you won’t believe it, but I finally conjured someone!” typical, Klaus skimming over Five’s post haste statement. It was bittersweet, and his stern expression said otherwise, but Five was proud of Klaus to finally see potential in himself and his powers. Still basking in the high of his reunion, Klaus dusted himself off and introduced Five to the empty space that was his war buddy, “This is Dave. Dave this is my brother, Number Five. ...Yeah, the old man trapped in his prepubescent, teenage body.”

Though appreciating the gesture(and withholding the twinge to slap his brother for that demeaning factoid), Five reminded the ex-junkie about the imperativeness of saving the world, “The apocalypse is in three days and I have a lead Klaus.” The time hopper wanted to make haste. Having the rest of the family would’ve been preferred, but he had to work with what he got.

Klaus was hesitant. What was the point in saving the world when he had his whole world here with him already? Just this morning, when Luther was paraphrasing everything he had learned about the end of the world from Five, Klaus came to the acceptance that everything would end in mere days. So what if the apocalypse happened? Klaus would die and be with Dave permanently.

The personal debate was evident in the necromancer’s body language – fidgeting with his hands and swaying. Or perhaps that was the withdrawal. “Nn.. You’re right, but I want to be with you again,” Klaus murmured. Five furrowed his brow, puzzled a moment before realizing he was talking to his dead lover. “Wait for me? You’ve already been waiting so long.“ Five could only hope the deceased vet could knock sense into his brother, or he’d have to go at it alone.

“Right… Yeah… No, you’re right, death can’t keep us apart now.” Klaus hung his head, looking at the dog tags hanging from his neck before gazing longingly at Dave. The veteran still draped in blood stained colors. “I love you too…” Klaus sighed, brushing a hand back through his messy hair, “Alright, where’s the baddy at?”

~~~~~

Diego and Grace returned home soon after Klaus and Five caught up briefly. Crossing one another at the entrance of the academy, Diego looked winded, “Guys! Thank god you’re here. You’re not gonna believe this-“

“Oh no… Five, you’re injured!” their mom interrupted, reaching forward and lifting the uniform blazer to see blood pooling on the young man’s vest.

Five flinched as all the boys looked down, baffled at the stained cloth. His two brothers had never bear witness to Five being injured. He was so vigilant in combat. Even Five didn’t realize he had a shrapnel wound. It must’ve been from the explosion back at the commission, or perhaps The Handler successfully shot him but adrenaline kept him from feeling it until now. “I..I’ll be fine,” he pasted a fake smile, trying to cover himself. It only just began to sting once Grace pointed it out.

“Nonsense, we have to clean you up before your mission,” motherly as always, the android took Five by the hand and began to lead him to the medical room. They were in desperate need to find Five’s lead, but if the injury was serious enough to spike mom’s immediate medical services, the assassin would be better off getting this taken care of now than be wounded in the heat of battle.

Klaus was impressed mom could tell they were going off on a mission, following them to get Five quickly stitched up with Diego not too far behind. On the way to the back of the academy, Diego began to speak sporadically, apparently about a well-kept secret that their parental figures kept from them. Pogo was already conveniently in the medical ward, sitting at the desk and skimming through notes as the lot flooded in. While Grace and Pogo got Five on a surgery table, Diego informed the room, “Vanya has powers. I know it sounds crazy, but mom told me everything. It was all in the old man’s notes and apparently those pills she takes keeps the powers at bay.”

“Well that’s all fine and dandy if that were true. And even if it was, what the hell does that have to do with the apocalypse?” Five snapped, wincing from the injection of anesthesia. Vanya wasn’t part of the equation. There was no proof or foreshadowing of her being involved with the end of the world.

Minus a strict look due to the secret getting out, their father’s friend and assistant, Pogo sincerely warned the three boys, “Miss Vanya...has powers yes, and they are of great magnitude. Your father withheld them to protect her and you kids from them. We took every measure to keep this secret,” Pogo glanced at Grace, who paid no mind to the passiveness as it was no time to be distracted from the removal of armament deep within Five’s abdomen. “If Miss Vanya were aware of the capacity her powers could bring, she could harm the fate of the world. That is why we must keep her safe.”

This was another lead they could use. Though still doubtful about their ordinary sister, Five finally mentioned Harold Jenkins to the room as well as his occupation at the commission. Diego and Klaus exchanged looks several times during Five’s recap. It was hard to grasp. Once finished, a puzzled Diego shook his head and doubted, “This is insane Five.”

“You know what else is insane?!” Five’s rage nearly brought him to sit up and throw medical tools at the vigilante, instead he just shot a glaring look, “I look like a thirteen year old boy! Klaus can see the dead! Our mother is a robot!” A silence fell on the room, “Our whole life is insane.”

Diego nodded, leaning back against the far wall, “Fair point.”

“Now, wait a minute. If this is all true, where are those notes dear ol’ dad wrote that you mentioned Pogo?” Klaus was still hung on their sister, considering Five told Klaus most of the situation upstairs. All but the specific name of Harold Jenkins, “I mean this is Vanya we’re talking about! The one that would cry when we stepped on ants as kids! You’re saying she has a world ending power we never knew about?”

“Now Master Klaus,” Pogo insinuated, “Do you recall the day after your father’s funeral?” Klaus looked on clueless. He had been through a war for the last ten months and hardly remembered a thing before leaving the present. Regardless, the perplexed gander fit Klaus’s usual response. Pogo rolled his eyes, “I asked if you had seen a particular possession of your father’s. That was the keepsake box that held the notes for Miss Vanya.”

Diego side-eyed the soothsayer, who was still skimming the files of his memory. As well as Five, the vigilante thought it probable Klaus couldn’t recall that far ago from the exposure to war and drugs. The fallen silence upon the room was all too awkward, Five had to interrupt, “We’ll take your word for it Pogo. We’ll keep an eye out for Vanya while we search for Harold Jenkins.”

“Whoa whoa, you guys have your own guy, fine, but I’m not doing anything until I kill those two freaks in the masks who killed my friend,” Diego snapped, nearly darting out the room before Five retorted.

“They’re already taken care of Diego.” The Spaniard halted in the doorway, “I sent missions to them both to kill one another. They’re each other’s problem while we deal with more important matters.” Five glanced down at himself, Grace just having scooped the debris from his flesh. Taking a deep breath, Five peered to his brothers, “You’re arm is wounded anyway. We need to work together. Let’s find Luther and Allison and save the world.”

Klaus, who was already on board, looked to Number Two. There was a dramatic pause between the trio that loomed a lingering undertone. Peering back to the young assassin, Klaus and Five exchanged concerned looks. Five needed as much of his family’s assistance as possible, and Klaus worried about Diego’s state of mind. Their previous conversation in the attic left things a little awkward when Klaus had offered to conjure Diego’s recently passed friend. That said person being the key factor in fueling the vigilante’s conflict. He wanted to avenge Eudora, but she would rather have him aid in saving the world. Dare he be selfish or follow premonition? And Five was right, Diego only had one mobile arm at the moment; the other in an arm brace since it had been shot the day before by his targets.

“Your friend, Patch,” Diego looked up at Five, “What did you like about them?” the teen asking with genuine curiosity. He hadn’t heard anything about this person that was so precious it blinded Diego from true justice.

“I don’t know,” he paused, “Cute butt, nice legs.”

Klaus scoffed and Five rolled his eyes, “Anything more profound than that?”

The figure in the doorway grunted, turning himself around, “No matter how much shit she saw in the streets, she believed the good in people.” Diego’s eyes lingered down to the checkered floor.

“I’m sure she’d be pleased with you commemorating her death by killing Hazel and ChaCha,” Five mocked, easing himself for the stitching portion of his quick surgery.

Klaus peered over at Diego, not daring to ruin what Five had built up with his well worded retort. It didn’t take much pondering and the vigilante sighed, “Harold Jenkins, huh?” He lifted his head up, “I should be able to dig up his file.”

“Atta boy!” Klaus cheered.

~~~~~

Not long after Five was stitched up, the three brothers were readying up to go to the police station. However, just as they were about to head out, Luther and Allison had returned back to the academy. This was beneficial for crunched time – now the remainder of the academy was all present and they could all work together. In an awkward stance around the chandelier still cratered in the entryway, Five once again informed the joining forces about the plan, leaving Vanya out of the details for now.

After taking everything in, the leader protested, “I thought you said we all died in this future of yours? What gives us the upper hand this time?” Luther stood alongside Allison, their hands entwined. The teen stood betwixt Klaus and Diego, having observed this detail right away while his brothers gawked at one another and back at the new couple opposing them across the rubble. This was tedious… Five could make out that Luther and Allison were planning to rendezvous in their final days. The trinket around Allison’s neck was more proof. This situation would make convincing them to join all the more tricky.

“You have me this time, obviously,” Five huffed, hobbling toward the front door, “Let’s go.”

“Now, wait, we have a flight to see my daughter tonight,” Allison held stoic posture. Five glared up and they met eyes just as he was grabbing the handle on the door, “I’m not taking any chances not seeing Claire one last time.” As a good mother would have it, Five couldn’t argue too much with that logic. His lips pressed together, glancing back at Klaus and Diego. Could the three of them do this alone?

“Allison,” Klaus stepped forward, breaking the deadpan stare between her and Five, “Wouldn’t you rather take a chance to save the world your daughter lives in?” The oddity of Klaus speaking wisdom lightened the tension in the room just slightly. Allison ogled at the ex-junkie, much as everyone else present. “Die for certain in three days…or fight to give her a future.” Klaus’s hands fidgeted. It was weird having all eyes on him in a serious manner. He looked back at Diego who still lurked near the stairs then met gaze with Five then continued to his sister, “I had a love once. Someone I would do anything for, even die for. And we were in a situation where death was more than likely going to take us out before we could start a future together,” the clairvoyant relocated his digits to the dog tags around his neck, feeling the embroidery against his calloused fingertips. No one could see, but Dave was just beside him, silently cheering him on to finish his speech with an arm against Klaus’s back. Fighting off tears, Klaus continued, “But we never gave up on one another. I feel like Claire would want her mother, her hero to fight the bad guys.”

Diego’s eyebrows were raised and his eyes darted to each sibling in the room. Five seemed unphased, so Klaus must’ve told him about his passed lover too. Luther and Allison however, were touched, but doubtful. “He’s telling the truth,” Diego barked, treading toward Klaus and patting his shoulder, “Now, we’re going to the station,” his dark eyes darted through the couple, more than certain they weren’t convinced to join their small brigade, “If Vanya returns to the academy, keep her here until we get back.”

“Wait, is Vanya okay?” Allison whipped.

“Most likely, but Vanya presumably has had suppressed powers,” Five informed further, the grumpiness prominent.

“What? With what facts?” Luther spoke sharply.

“We don’t have time to tell you everything! In fact, all we’re doing right now is wasting valuable time; the more we bicker, the less time we have to save the world!” Five nodded to Diego, opening the front door to take leave.

Klaus winced, covering his ears and grunting, “Dammit! I’ll stay behind and tell them!” he yelled, scratching the back of his sweaty neck. The withdrawals were like maggots crawling in his skin and the arguing was only making him more nauseous as his ears rung. Klaus doubted his ability to tag along for the detective work anyway. “You two go, I’ll take them to Pogo and catch them up…” Klaus was winded and the exhaustion was evident from the dark circles under his eyes alone.

“I don’t need convincing,” Allison insisted, “Why would you guys make something like that up, right?” releasing her hand from Luther’s grip, she stood herself between Five and Diego.

“Allison?” Luther called out.

“I’ll go with Five and Diego. You stay here for Vanya in case Klaus can’t stall her by himself,” the enchantress winked to her shivering brother, “Sound good?”

Klaus nodded, curling in on himself. Allison wasn’t fully indoctrinated about Vanya, but the loose ends were rubbing her the wrong way. Sure they had a solid lead with a name, but a familiar itch of suspicion was nipping at her skin. She could only hope this had nothing to do with the sketchy character Vanya was familiarizing with lately… Leonard Peabody. The sorceress had dug up what she could on him within the week – even so much as to invade his house, but she still knew nothing about him. Allison could only hope he wasn’t in legion with this ‘Jenkins’…

~~~~~

The city lights never sleep, as well as its residence. Nearing midnight and the streets were still bustling with cars in traffic and people along the sidewalk. Diego, Allison and Five weaved through the crowds and made their way to the police station, all with the same intention, to locate Harold Jenkins’ file. A few buildings away from their destination and Diego halted the duo.

“Okay, I’m going to get the file and be right back.”

“What are you talking about?” Five urged, “I’ll just blink in and out like I always do.”

“Only if you want to get caught. I know this place like the back of my hand. Trust me, there’s cops everywhere, and I know who to talk to and what to say to get what we need.”

After a challenging stare off, Five shook his head, throwing a slight tantrum as he marched to the wall and prepped up against it, tucking his hands in his pockets. Guess that was the end of that conversation. Five would’ve been more likely to protest if time wasn’t becoming tighter with each passing minute.

Allison nodded to the second in command, wishing Diego luck as she stayed close to Five. Dealing with internal conflict, Allison was glad to have the vigilante take things from here. It had been a long time since Allison had used her powers, and she wasn’t sure if she could break the sobriety. Given the fate of the world, a course of action may persuade The Rumor to initiate those fatal whispers once again, but for now, she would take a backseat.

However long they waited, Allison brewed in the information that Vanya had powers. The occurrence of the family meeting that morning also dwindled in the back of her mind. Everyone had cast her away when she wanted to be included. Thought she was too much of a liability in the hardship of the apocalypse. ‘I always thought it was dad that made me feel like an outcast, but it turns out you’re the assholes.’

The disgust and disbelief must’ve been readable on Allison’s face as Five knocked his sister from her regret, “You’re worried about her, aren’t you?”

Allison blinked and peered over, breaking her dissociative stare with the pavement, “What?”

“About Vanya.”

Allison sighed, “Yeah, I can’t help but think she is connected somehow. A sisterly instinct if you will,” she laughed as to give a joking undertone but it sounded more unsure than anything.

Five slouched his shoulders, humming and staring off into the haze of foot traffic, “By the way you were all dispersed this evening, I assume Luther told you everything I told him about what I know?” Five looked up to Allison, who nodded. After a slight pause, Five continued on with his point, “She was the only one I hadn’t seen in the rubble...Vanya.”

A pit in the hollywood star’s gut nearly pulled her heart down like a blackhole. “When you saw us...dead?”

He nodded, his ruffled hair falling in his face just slightly, “I read her book, found out how you all separated, but you still came back together for dad’s funeral it seemed - since I found you all there…” Allsion reached out, putting a hand on the teen’s petite shoulder. Five forced a smile, “Maybe she wasn’t there with you because she was the cause. Pogo mentioned how extreme her powers were, but not what they were specifically, so I don’t want to jump to conclusions.”

Allison retrieved her hand from Five, holding herself with crossed arms as she took a breath to process even more information from Five’s past. Taking it into accord with their near future only stirred more nausea that was the bubbling anxiety in her belly. She needed to reach out to Vanya. They shouldn’t have turned her away that morning; they should’ve included her.

Looking down the street, there was still no sign of Diego. “Give me a minute,” Allsion assured, occupying a nearby payphone. She had to call Vanya.

Having left a voicemail, Diego came hustling back with a manila envelope just as Allison hung up the phone. “Told ya I could get it.”

“Well, let’s have a look,” Five insisted, but the papers were swept away by their sister. But before she could pinpoint a place of residence, the pit in her stomach soon returned as the picture of a mugshot with a familiar face looked back at her. “Oh my god…” Her brothers looked on concerned as Allison showed them the evidence of Vanya’s boyfriend, “Harold Jenkins is Leonard Peabody…”

“That’s strange... I have a glass eye that belongs to the person responsible, but he has both still in socket it seems.” claimed Five, as he fished his pockets for the trinket he had been holding onto for decades. As he held out the marble orb, Five looked over the fine print, “Looks like he was just released from prison mere days ago.”

“Well, come on, let’s go get this sucker,” Allison whipped, retreating to the car, the other two on her heels.

“Wait! Guys!” Five hollered, getting attention from passersby as well as his siblings who turned around to see the small prosthetic finish turning to dust in Five’s hand and blowing away.

“Wh-What does that mean Five?” Diego asked.

“It can only mean one thing,” Five’s voice trailed off, his mind immediately sorting through equations of the possibilities of this happening, “Someone got to him before us.”

“Vanya?” Allison questioned, the boys meeting her worried expression.

“Come on, we gotta hurry,” Five bustled and weaved through the crowd, fighting every nerve to warp to the house alone.

~~~~~

The time hopper, vigilante, and superstar made haste and headed straight to the location on the file. Having been familiar with the house from her previous break in, Allison was able to point out which house it was among the suburbs. They parked their car a few houses down and walked to the designated porch, “Okay, here’s the plan,” Diego initiated his leadership complex, but Allison didn’t stop for the huddle, rather trailed around to the back door.

The vigilante huffed, looking down at his brother, “Alright then, Five I want you to-”

The teen rolled his eyes at the wannabe number one, blinking away into a space jump and leaving Diego alone on the doorstep. He sighed, looking out to the empty street. It was the middle of the night, he couldn’t linger for too long. Prepping himself and covering his injured arm, Diego stared down the glass door and cannonballed through it, tumbling and crashing to the floor with a grunt.

“Very strategic, leader,” Five mocked, lingering near the entryway. He strut to the damaged door and turned the knob everso casually, “You know the door was unlocked.”

“Shut up Five. I have my methods.”

“Guys, you need to come here!” Diego jumped to his feet, swatting off shards of glass as he followed Five to where Allison called. Just around the corner, their sister stood over a fresh corpse that had been impaled by multiple sharp objects and looked to be forcefully slammed down onto a table. “This is him,” Allsion reassured, a quiver in her voice. They located Jenkins, but no sign of Vanya.

“Yeah, matches the mugshot,” Diego was knelt to the floor, checking the face closer and inspecting the wounds, “Whoever did this had a hell of a grudge and amazing strength to crash his body into the table like this,” he stood back up, “Let’s check the rest of the house for clues.”

“Did mom tell you what her powers were exactly?” Allison asked, her arms crossed. The sight before her was hard to comprehend. Especially with Vanya being the prime suspect.

“No. Both her and Pogo were rather vague on the details,” Five said, tucking his hands in his pockets, looking rather disappointed he hadn’t seen the target die in action.

“Diego’s right, we should look around for more clues. I’m going to look upstairs,” Allison promptly whipped around and made a bee-line to the second floor of the house.

Diego nudged Five, “Alright old man, let’s take a look around.”

~~~~~

Allison briefly looked through the few rooms, but no sign of Vanya… There was no word from the boys downstairs either, perhaps she went back to the academy. Thus Allison took to the attic. She wanted to get a thorough investigation the last time she had visited this house, but was interrupted by Harold’s return home. Now with no worries to be caught by a deadman, Allison notably insisted to scope the disclosed room above.

Tugging the string and climbing up the folded ladder, Allison popped her head up in the pitch black room. The overwhelming thick of dust and plywood scent drew a cough from the superstar as she faintly saw another string for a dim light. Flicking it on, what came distinguishable was uncanny. Nearly the entire room basked in light was overstocked with Umbrella Academy memorabilia. Unworthy of any collector as countless figurines and posters of young Allison and her brother’s had their faces melted and eyes scratched out.

A looming dread weighted on Allison’s conscience. Her curiosity could’ve killed her if she had discovered this vengeful shrine during her previous visit. Harold was after the family, and he got to the most vulnerable one first, Vanya. He had a plan set up, having years to fester in the vengeance in prison. But that still didn’t explain how he knew about Vanya’s powers before her own family.

The collection that Allison continued to gawk at was massive. With each step Allison took back, she could depict more sketchy knick knacks and profanity upon the walls and shelves. Harold went as far as to cut words out of magazines to paste hateful messages. It was like a scene out of a CSI show. The actress had seen many things in her past with the Academy - taking down bad guys and creeps, but this was obsessive and personal.

In the midst of her inspection, Allison was interrupted by a startling collision at her heels. She gasped, a stilled yelp choking her as she nearly jumped out of her skin. At her feet was a black bag, and from the feel of it, was stuffed with something quite heavy. The shimmer of the light illuminating blurs onto the sack was the borderline from the rest of the dark room. Not much past it other than some steps toward the single, cracked window in the room.

“Allison! You okay?” Diego hollered from the first floor.

“You guys need to come see this,” Just as she confirmed her safety, Allison spun around to meet face with a faint noise on the darker side of the room. It sounded like someone shuffling. However, she dared not call out just yet. After all the surprises this evening, she didn’t want to take any chances on getting blindsided by something fatal.

Ogling into the too-dark-to-see spaces of the attic, Allison became a little lightheaded from the startling sequences. Did she imagine that scrimmaging? Maybe the eeriness of this place was getting to her mentality.

As Allison began to dismiss what she presumed to be a hallucination, she heard sniffling coming from the same blackened corner of the room to counteract her false presumption. She looked harder, barely making out a silhouette from the light in the room and the full moon shining through the window. “Five and Diego are here too?” It was Vanya! And she sounded winded... Who knew how long she been up here crying and confused; the attic was closed off after all. Hearing her sister’s voice, however sad as it sounded, had Allison’s heart skip a beat in relief.

Allison faintly called out, “Yeah, we came looking for you Vanya,” Allison reached out to the darkness.

“Don’t!” Allison jerked back, trying to steady her breathing. “I don’t want to hurt you too!” The movie star had to act like she wasn’t frazzled. Of course the scene downstairs and the destroyed assortment of malice within the attic were a rough build up to finally seeing Vanya after this morning’s encounter. No matter how much experience she had in acting, the seriousness of this was all too real. The unknowns of Vanya’s powers had her nervous especially after what she just said.

“Allison?” Diego walked up to the base of the attic’s stairs and looked up, “Did you find something?” Now wasn’t the time! Vanya didn’t need a crowd.

The shaken Number Seven began to weep. Fearful of hurting others, Allison would wager. “I found Vanya,” Allison cheered, crouching down and lending her arm back out as to not damper closure for her seemingly unnerved sister, “We’re talking real quick, so you and Five stay put for a second, okay?” If it weren’t for her vow to stray from using her rumor remission, she’d turn the boys away while she and Vanya could talk. Allison’s instinct was warning her that the two downstairs would intervene, so she had to make things blatant and quick. “We came here to take you home,” Allison’s voice was gentle, soft enough so hopefully Diego and Five couldn’t hear the caution in her voice. She could thank motherhood for that comforting tone. Though, no matter how soothing her voice came off, a sliver of a lie lingered as they were here to take care of Harold when Vanya was secondary.

“Allison,” Vanya’s voice broke, choking on her words, “I’m so scared… I didn’t know- He was trying to use me! But I didn’t mean to… They just came out of me and then…” she finally started to come out of the shadows, her eyes puffy and red from breaking down as well as her clothes splattered with blood. She held herself as she hobbled closer to Allison but kept her distance still unsure of herself, “I didn’t know I had these powers Allison… I found a journal. It was dad’s. Leonard found it and was using his knowledge of my power against me,” Vanya’s words were uneven and jagged, choking from the tightness in her throat as she began to cry.

Allison dared not persist if Vanya didn’t make the first approach. With how hesitant Vanya was, she could take Allison’s aid as a sign of restraint due to fear. The step forward was good enough for now. “Dad kept so many secrets from us,” she slowly straightened up to her feet, “but if you come home with us, we can learn about your powers with you. Do you have the journal?” The Rumor’s face wore a genuine smile, as warm as any hug could be. Alas, Number Seven shook her head.

“No…I didn’t mean to kill him- I could kill you too! Anyone… I shouldn’t- I can’t-!” A sudden wisp of air brushed Allison’s curls passed her shoulders, sending loose hanging papers off the walls and scattering them in a multi directional gust.

“Allison! What’s going on?” Diego called with a sternness, his foot up on the first step and ready to hustle up at the faintest sign of struggle.

Standing alongside the vigilante, Number Five listened carefully to the words exchanged and items being ruffled by what sounded like Vanya’s outburst. It was hard to see anything in the dimly lit space, but Five was about ready to interfere. They had one half of the couple taken care of, but if they couldn’t gain their bearings on their sister, all was still lost. From the outcome of the world he had seen, Vanya must’ve been the bomb. While the fuse was no longer a factor, they couldn’t risk setting a spark off near the emotional Vanya. Five believed in Allison, but not in the unstable, newly gifted Number Seven.

“Everything is fine,” Allison replied. She never took her eyes off of Vanya whose hands were gripping at her head. All of the numbers present still didn’t know the full details on what happened in the dining room. If Vanya had been provoked or enraged at Harold- Who knows what hiccups could lead to a lethal accident.

The wind within the enclosed room didn’t seem to ease. Allison couldn’t dawdle anymore; she needed to neutralize this spasm. Her brothers were nearby, ready to come up and ruin what little progress she had made. Diego had been through enough missions with Allison in the past to know the discretion lingering in her assertion. He wanted to act, but he trusted Allison. She took a deep breath, “Vanya everything is okay,” Allison took a step and held out her arms.

“Nooooo..! Allison just leave me here,” Vanya shook her head, staggering back.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Allison’s tone was stone solid in seriousness, “I can tell your scared and confused but we can figure it out together.”

“Whatever happened to ‘this is a family matter’? Not including me...” Vanya was yelling now, her voice quivering, “I’ve killed someone!” Her hollers were in sync with gusts of the same force that resonated just before, only stronger.

The boys below looked at one another, noticing debris fluttering around and Vanya becoming more shaken up as she confessed her murder. A glint in Five’s eye alerted Diego they were about to take action.

Allison persisted, ignoring the comment from earlier that day as well as trying to ease the cyclone within the small space, “He was evil, planning to destroy the world. You were only protecting yourself.”

“Stop! Stop it!” Vanya gripped at her head, backing up into the darkness again. Was she trying to control this flurry or was it controlling her? Vanya was pressed against the wall which lead Allison to stop nearing her vulnerability.

“Let’s go home,” Allison looked on worriedly into the pitch black.

“I don’t belong there. I’ve never belonged there!”

“Vanya, I love you-”

“Just go… Just leave me alone Allison. You can’t always get people to do what you want. Not anymore,” What were anxious warnings to push her sister away had now deepened to a stern cautioning.

The mood of the room fluctuated as Allison noticed a glimmer of white look back at her from where Vanya stood in the darkness. A threatening glare struck the superstar’s guard. Like who she was talking to wasn’t Vanya anymore. “I can’t leave you here alone. I won’t.”

“I don’t deserve your pity. Or theirs!“

Allison couldn’t stand back any longer. She knew just how sketchy Harold was just from the few times they met; she could see right through his act. Vanya shouldn’t have been blaming herself. 

Holding herself boldly, Allison tread forward, “He was manipulating you Vanya. It’s not your fault” She reached out and touched what felt like her sister’s side, but that contact was instantaneous as Number Three was taken off her feet and blown across the room by a heavy force that slammed her against the far wall. then the lone window in the attic burst. The wind was knocked out of her lungs while an invisible wall crushed her and kept her propped in place. Her feet weren’t touching the floor and sharp pains seethed from multiple spots on her body. Vanya truly held a remarkable power…

“Oh…oh god Allison-!” Vanya screamed, back in character before more broken glass clashed within the room.

Allison was released from being pinned against the wall. She fell to her hands and knees, trying to catch her breath, but fell appalled at the sight before her. She gawked up at Number Five who stood over Vanya that laid face down on the floor.

“What- di-?!” Allison choked on the words. She brushed her hair back and reached to her throat, a sharp pain causing her to wince. There was blood.

“Holy shit.. What happened?!” Diego kneeled down once he came up into the attic, inspecting several wounds along Allison’s body, but nothing as severe as the one she kept pressure on against her throat. They were from the window shattering, but Allison couldn’t seem to preach what had happened. The cut across her neck must’ve been severe. “Come on. We gotta get to the academy to stitch you up,” Diego hiked up his sister carefully as they were both wounded, “I’ll speed us home. Five let’s go!”

“No. You go. I’ll wait for Vanya to wake up,” Five insisted, his poise stoic with his hands tucked in his pockets as he observed the clutter in the room. Maybe knocking a vase over Vanya’s head was too rash, but who knew what else would have escalated from that outburst if Five hadn’t interfered.

Their wounded sister stomped on the floor, causing her to wooz slightly, but Diego kept her secure as he substituted himself as her crutch.

Five glared over at the two, “We have to start fresh - talk to her while she’s calm so she doesn’t destroy the world. I’ll be back at the academy in the morning.”

There was no arguing with Five, given the circumstances - Allison needed Grace’s medical aid post haste. Number Two and Three drove from the cursed house to their home base. The sky hummed in a soiree of deep purple as a bloody sunrise slowly rose to cast a morbid lighting onto the city. Though Harold was dead and Vanya was temporarily subdued, there was an incurable dread within the dawn of this new day. How were they supposed to know if they had succeeded in saving the world or not? Did they have to wait out the clock, assure Vanya’s safety, or perhaps...make her forget any of it ever happened.

With the rumor out of commission, the latter was impossible, and good riddance. The thought of Allison breaking her sober streak on Vanya creeped a repressed memory back into her dazed mind. No, that’s can’t be right. She would never use her powers on her siblings...nothing that extreme.

As the buildings and trees whipped by, the waking world began to haze. Allison grew pale as the blood left her face. Diego’s muffled voice pounded against her head but she couldn’t make out the words since her attention was outside the car. It was like she was encapsulated within a dome - the only sounds she could hear clearly were her uneven breaths and heartbeat. All she could think about was failing Vanya. Having pushed her away the morning before at the family meeting then sneaking off with Luther rather than getting her away from Harold. She was a bad sister… She didn’t deserve Vanya’s love in return.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 2 is already in the words! If you enjoyed what you read, please stay tuned for more characters as well as inclusions from the comics!


End file.
